MONDAY, 6:03pm: Trade talk about a potential deal that would send Stephen Drew from Arizona to Oakland still has life, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (Twitter link). However, Peter Gammons of MLB Network reported today that the Athletics have backed off their pursuit of Drew and Yunel Escobar for now, (Twitter link).

Ken Rosenthal recently reported that the Athletics aren't favored to acquire Drew if the Diamondbacks trade him. Oakland is reluctant to match Toronto's asking price on Escobar, according to Rosenthal. Drew and Escobar are Oakland's top two choices for a shortstop upgrade, Jon Heyman reported today.

The A's looked into the possibility of acquiring Jimmy Rollins, but would have had to take on his entire contract ($11MM per season through 2014 with a vesting option for 2015) to complete a deal, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. The price in terms of prospects wasn't high, but there's no guarantee Rollins, a Bay Area native, would approve a trade to Oakland. The Dodgers are no longer a fit for Rollins, Knobler writes.

The Dbacks are pretty much under the gun to make a deal for Drew happen and his value is in the toilet right now. They should be happy to jump at nearly any offer for him that does not include the Dbacks footing the bill for his salary.

Because he is walking at the end of the season anyway. If they don’t trade him they get nothing back. And his replacement, Bloomquist, is out-playing him by leaps and bounds. Moving Drew clears salary for a salary-strapped team and also gets rid of a player that has spent the last several months playing games with the front office in terms of his rehab.

I just don’t think Yunel will be traded, Toronto thinks they have a chance for a wild card spot, no point in selling off part that is certainly helping them get there. Specially to a team in the AL contending for that same spot.

But would he really want to leave the Phillies, the only ballclub he has been with for his entire career? I’m sure for someone whom he won a world series with, that it’ll take some convincing for him to leave.

Drew isn’t exactly known for ever talking to the press when not required to anyway. I’m cautiously optimistic that something is in the works, but until it is official the Drew is no longer a DBack I will not hold my breath for anything.

Hopefully it was a heads-up that a trade is being worked and that in all likelihood he should be expected to be traded mid-game. Unless a trade is a done deal, they are still going to want him to get game ready.